Links:
______________________________________________________________________
Click here to see and hear Matt Damons amazing speech on
public education!
Click here to see a rally for teachers and public
workers in Australia!
Click here to see the video "Stop the Lies: Public
Service Workers Under Attack"
Click here to go
to the website: Get Money Out!
To "Friend" the AFL/CIO on Facebook click
here.
To "Friend" AFT Michigan on Facebook click
here.
Current News and information:
___________________________________________________________________

Dear Jeff,
Last night, President Obama stood before Congress
and delivered the State of the Union address. The
president’s message was strong and clear: The health
of our economy and the quality of our public
education system always have been and always will be
intertwined. Obama is right. Strong public
schools are the cornerstone of a strong economy, a
strong democracy and a strong middle class.
Share your thoughts with us on Obama’s State of
the Union address.
Obama exhorted the nation to “stop bashing”
teachers and instead to recognize the value and
role of educators in rebuilding the middle class and
strengthening our democracy. As he put it, “We
cannot teach to the test.” And we cannot test our
way to a strong middle class; we can, and must,
educate our way to a strong middle class. The
President also recognized that rising college
tuition costs can be the most daunting obstacle to
pursuing a higher education; and called on states to
do their part, by making higher education a higher
priority in their budgets, and colleges and
universities to do their part to keep costs down.
What do you think of the president’s message?
Obama made clear what America’s teachers have
long understood: The overemphasis on testing has
led to narrowing of the curriculum, rather than
creating a path to critical thinking and problem
solving. These are the kinds of knowledge and
skills our children need to compete in the global
economy. Respecting public school teachers and
providing them with the tools and resources they
need to help our children learn and grow are
essential to building a strong public education
system, competing in a global economy and restoring
economic opportunity for all.
If you missed the president’s State of the Union
address,
watch it here.
In unity,
Tor Cowan
AFT Legislative Director

|
Dear Jeff,
Sometime very soon, President Obama has a
decision to make. The consequences will impact
the lives of millions of underwater homeowners
and the future of our economy.
Settlement talks with the Big Banks that caused
our mortgage crisis are ongoing. And the Obama
administration is a big part of those talks. The
President and administration officials can
either let Big Banks and mortgage fraudsters off
the hook with a slap on the wrist—or push for
real accountability.
Sign our petition to President Obama urging him
to side with working families.
Big Banks and mortgage fraudsters have a lot
to answer for. They abused and defrauded
consumers—and their greed and recklessness
caused a devastating financial crisis. There are
7.5 million homes that have entered the
foreclosure process, with another 4.8 million
homeowners at risk.
Now, it’s time to set things right. The
Obama administration should reject any weak
settlement that amounts to a slap on the wrist
for bankers and fraudsters and push for a robust
settlement that provides relief to millions of
underwater homeowners.
Tell President Obama: It’s critical that the
Department of Justice lead a comprehensive
investigation. We need you to fight to hold Big
Banks and mortgage fraudsters accountable and
keep millions of Americans in their homes.
State Attorneys General from coast to coast have
been investigating bank fraud. And a group of
them—including New York’s Eric Schneiderman and
Delaware's Beau Biden—have stood up for working
families by working for a robust settlement that
provides real accountability and has the
potential to keep millions of underwater
Americans in their homes.
This work must not be undermined by a premature
and inadequate settlement. Wrongdoing was
committed on a massive scale. That’s why it’s
time for the Obama administration and the
Justice Department to lead a full
investigation—and work with the bravest state
Attorneys General like Schneiderman and Biden to
fight for real accountability and a tough
settlement.
Tell President Obama: We need a settlement
strong enough to ensure that this never happens
again.
A key to getting our economy moving again is
providing relief to underwater homeowners and
making sure this kind of abuse never happens
again. President Obama has to get this right.
Let’s help him do the right thing.
Thank you for all the work you do.
In Solidarity,
Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO
|

Statement by David Hecker, AFT Michigan President
in reaction to Gov. Snyder's State of the State
speech:
We agree with Governor Snyder that ‘our children
are our future,’ but we must ask why the state
undercut their future by reducing K-12 funding by
$400 per student and cutting higher education
funding by 15 percent. While the Governor claims
lifting the charter cap will increase the quality of
education, we wonder how, since the legislature
refused to include quality requirements in the law.
This year, we hope to work with the Governor in
taking action that will truly enhance education for
every student in all school districts, colleges and
universities. We appreciate his acknowledgement that
collective bargaining works and his support for the
New International Trade Crossing, which will create
thousands of jobs. Among other actions, funding must
be restored and the surplus spent, infrastructure
must be enhanced, the teaching profession must be
respected and not undercut, and financial aid for
higher education must be reinstated.

Dear Friend,
Last night we heard a lot of happy talk from Gov.
Snyder, but not a lot of specifics about what he’ll
actually do to deliver “more and better jobs” this year.
It’s clear the governor wants to give even more handouts
to big corporations and greedy CEOs at the expense of
our kids, seniors and communities.
We need Lansing politicians to stop the partisan games
and start working together to build an economy that
works for everyone - not just the top one-percent.
That’s
why we’re supporting Michigan’s 2012 Jobs Plan.
Click
here to endorse the plan and help protect Michigan
workers.
This aggressive plan focuses on ending tax-supported
outsourcing of Michigan jobs, boosting job growth in the
renewable energy sector, fixing our roads and bridges,
banning discrimination against unemployed workers, and
ensuring that all kids have access to a quality public
education.
Over 750 Michigan citizens have already endorsed the
plan.
Can you help push us over 1,000?
Click here to add your name to the list.
It’ll take more than happy talk to get our economy
moving again, but with your support, we’re ready to hold
Lansing politicians accountable and fight for good jobs
that pay a fair wage.
For Michigan,
Todd Cook
State Director
We Are the People

Statement by David Hecker, AFT Michigan President
in reaction to Gov. Snyder's State of the State
speech:
We agree with Governor Snyder that ‘our children
are our future,’ but we must ask why the state
undercut their future by reducing K-12 funding by
$400 per student and cutting higher education
funding by 15 percent. While the Governor claims
lifting the charter cap will increase the quality of
education, we wonder how, since the legislature
refused to include quality requirements in the law.
This year, we hope to work with the Governor in
taking action that will truly enhance education for
every student in all school districts, colleges and
universities. We appreciate his acknowledgement that
collective bargaining works and his support for the
New International Trade Crossing, which will create
thousands of jobs. Among other actions, funding must
be restored and the surplus spent, infrastructure
must be enhanced, the teaching profession must be
respected and not undercut, and financial aid for
higher education must be reinstated.

Dear Friend,
Looking for a place to watch Gov. Snyder’s State of the
State speech tonight?
You’re invited to join us at a local State of the State
Watch Party:
- Grand Rapids - 7:00-8:30pm at the Labor
Temple, 918 Benjamin NE, Grand Rapids.
RSVP.
- Lansing - 5:30-9:00pm at The Boardroom,
107 East Allegan, Lansing.
RSVP.
- Lapeer - 6:30-8:00pm at Castaways
Restaurant, 4058 Hunt Rd., Lapeer.
RSVP.
- Monroe - 6:30-9:00pm at the Michigan
Education Association Office, 14576 S. Dixie
Highway, Unit 1, Monroe.
RSVP.
- Mt. Clemens - 6:30-8:30pm at CWA Local
4008,
145 Colonial Ct, Mt. Clemens.
RSVP.
- Oakland County - 6:30-8:00pm at 7569
Greenway Ln, West Bloomfield.
RSVP.
- Sault Ste. Marie - 5:30-9:00pm at the
Ramada Plaza/Ojibway Hotel, Captain’s Pub & Grill,
240 W Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie.
RSVP.
- Three Rivers - 6:30-8:30pm at UAW Local
2093,
15802 Hoffman Rd, Three Rivers.
RSVP.
- Washtenaw County - 6:30-8:00pm at 10740
Strawberry Hills Lane, Whitmore Lake.
RSVP.
These parties are a chance to watch the speech with
local activists and learn how you can help hold Lansing
politicians accountable in 2012.
We hope you can make it!
Sincerely,
Zack Pohl
Communications Director
We Are the People
P.S. Tonight we’ll hear a lot of happy talk from
Gov. Snyder, but we haven’t forgotten what Lansing
politicians REALLY did during 2011.
Click here
to check out our YouTube video looking back on Snyder’s
first year in office.

Dear Jeff,

On Tuesday, Jan. 24,
President Obama will make his annual
State of the Union address to the nation. AFT
members are speaking out for commonsense policies
that will restore balance for the middle class in
our country.
What issues you
would like to hear President Obama talk about during
his State of the Union address?
It is time to
focus the debate on the needs of the middle class
and those who live in poverty: putting Americans
back to work, providing our children with a
high-quality education, keeping families in their
homes, and reining in the abuses of Wall Street and
big corporations. America needs to work for all
of us, not just the 1 percent.
Tell us your
personal story, how you have been affected in this
economy and what you want to hear from President
Obama during his State of the Union address.
In unity,
Tor Cowan
AFT Legislative Director

How are the state and national AFT federations
structured?
What are PERA and MERC and why are they important?
What resources are available to make your job easier
(Toolkit, LeaderNet, Contract Database, AFT+, etc.)
What are your local’s strengths and weaknesses?
These are just some of the items that will be
explored in the AFT Michigan workshop: Local
Union Essentials-Nuts & Bolts of Running a Local.
It is open to any AFT Member but will be especially
useful if you are a local leader or thinking about
stepping up to a leadership position in your local.
The all-day workshop will be held on Saturday,
January 28, 2012 from 9:30a.m. to 4:00p.m.
Lunch will be provided. It will be held at the
Saginaw ISD RESC Building, 6235 Gratiot Road,
Saginaw, MI 48638
Register Now!

AFT Michigan Union Building Classes
Tuesday
Evenings in January, February and March 2012 --
Register Right Now!
Every winter, AFT Michigan offers a series of
classes to help you develop the tools you need to be
an effective union leader/member. They are
open to everyone in the union, at no cost, and we
encourage anyone who thinks of themselves as a
"leader," wants to be a leader, could be a leader,
or who just wants to better understand what a union
does to attend as many of them as you can.
Classes are held every
Tuesday, starting January 17th, from 5:00p.m. to
8:00p.m. at the AFT Michigan office in Detroit.
You may register online by clicking on the link to
the class. A light dinner is provided.
January 17, 2012
Session 1: AFT 101:
Leadership Roles & Responsibilities, and Tools You
Can Use
How are the state and national federations
structured?
Who does what work in your local?
What are your responsibilities to the membership,
state and national AFT, AFL-CIO, etc.
Resources to make your job easier (Toolkit,
LeaderNet, Contract Database, AFT+, etc.)
January 24, 2012
Session 2: Labor
Law Basics
Overview of PERA and MERC
AFT Michigan Legal Fund process
Organizing around grievances
January 31, 2012
Session 3: Leading
for Membership Engagement
How does information flow between leaders and
members?
What are your local’s strengths and weaknesses?
Setting up a member-to-member system to ensure
effective communication
Leadership for changing local culture
February 7, 2012
Session 4:
Politics in the Public Sector (part 1)
Why is there an attack on the public sector and
unions?
February 14, 2012
Session 5:
Politics in the Public Sector (part 2)
How do decisions get made and how can we shape them?
February 21, 2012
Session 6:
Politics in the Public Sector (part3)
How can we get people elected who support our
issues?
February 28, 2012
Session 7:
Strategic Planning (part 1)
Consider bringing a team from your local, you will
finish the two sessions with a plan for your local.
March 6, 2012
Session 8:
Strategic Planning (part 2)
Putting your plan in practice within your local
"Do not wait; the time will never be 'just
right.' Start where you stand, and work with
whatever tools you may have at your command, and
better tools will be found as you go along." -
Napoleon Hill
These classes do not qualify for SB-CEUs.
Let me know if you have any questions and hope to
see you Tuesday!
Dave Dobbie
Assistant to the President

| |
|
Former corporate
raider and presidential
hopeful
Mitt Romney
recently said “I like
being able to fire
people”—and his record
as a corporate raider
backs that up.
He
supports laws that
attack workers’ rights
and make it easier to
fire people.
Sign our petition. It
says: “I like leaders
who hire people.”

|
|
|
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Dear Jeff,
Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney—who killed
thousands of jobs as a corporate raider—recently
said he “likes being able to fire people.”
Romney’s record as a corporate raider backs up
his words: He supports laws that attack workers’
rights and make it easier to fire people. Laws
like the so-called “right to work” bill being
considered in Indiana that targets collective
bargaining, robbing workers of union protection.
If Indiana’s so-called “right to work” bill
passes, the state’s unions no longer will stand
between corporate raiders like Mitt Romney and
many of the workers they like to fire to boost
short-term profits. And it will become much
harder for everyday workers to improve their
wages, benefits and retirement security.
If you agree with the AFL-CIO that our leaders
need to work together on an agenda that actually
creates jobs—and stop following the lead of
corporate raiders like Mitt Romney—add
your name to our “I like leaders who hire
people” petition.
In 2011, we saw the beginnings of a new
democratic movement for economic justice. We
had the most solidarity I’ve seen at any time
during my career in the labor movement. We
shifted the debate. And we’ll keep doing it.
But to translate this movement into lasting
change, politics matter. Not just who we
elect for president, but our choices at the
state and local levels, too.
America wants to work—and it is politics as
usual, not economic obstacles, standing in the
way of putting people back to work. That’s
why we’re promoting a job-creating agenda in
statehouses around the country this year,
focusing on priorities like:
-
Making
sure state tax dollars are used to keep jobs
in that state and in America.
-
Buying
state-made and American-made goods—so we
create jobs in our communities and in
America.
-
Stopping
corporate tax loopholes and tax breaks for
millionaires—so our states no longer are
starved of the revenue they need for
critical services.
Please make sure your lawmakers—from the
statehouse to the White House—know where you
stand. Add your name to our “I like leaders who
hire people” petition.
Even though ruthless, corporate-backed attacks
on workers continue, make no mistake: Our
message—the message of the 99%—is taking root.
Many politicians haven’t caught up yet. But they
will. They’ll have to. Because people all across
the country are saying our economy and our
democracy are out of balance. They’re saying
it’s time to create jobs for every person
who wants to work—jobs
that can support our families and that can
support our dreams.
Sign the “I like leaders who hire people”
petition. Make sure our leaders know you expect
them to build a better America—and drop the
attacks on working families.
Thank you for all the work you do.
In Solidarity,
Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO
|

Dear Jeff,
With the
Iowa caucus behind us and the Republican
presidential field narrowing, our focus now shifts
to New Hampshire, which will hold its primary
tomorrow.
In the weeks to come, candidates will be vying
for enough votes to win the Republican nomination
and challenge President Obama in November. The AFT
wants to make sure you have the information you need
to cast an informed vote.
The candidates have made statements on issues
that are important to our members.
See where the candidates stand on our issues.
Do you know when your state's primary or caucus
is?
See the full schedule here.
Many states have passed restrictive voter
identification laws in an effort to make it harder
to vote.
Click here to see what you will need
to bring with you to the polls to be eligible to
vote.
If you have any problems at the polls or see
others being denied their right to vote, please
report it to the
nonpartisan election protection hotline at
866-OUR-VOTE.
Let us know if you will be voting in your
state's primary or caucus, and what issue is most
important to you as you cast your vote.
In unity,
John Ost
AFT Political Director
P.S. For up-to-date information on the 2012
election, visit the
AFT's
Elections Matter site.

The 2012 presidential nominating process is
officially under way with yesterday’s Iowa caucuses.
At various times over the past several months, at
least seven different Republican candidates led in
the pre-caucus polls, but last night Mitt Romney
narrowly defeated former Sen. Rick Santorum, with
both candidates receiving approximately 25 percent
of the vote. Ron Paul finished third with 21.5
percent, and Newt Gingrich finished fourth with 13
percent. This race continues with the New Hampshire
primary next Tuesday, Jan. 10.
Despite the fluidity of the Republican race, one
thing has remained constant: These Republican
presidential candidates do not stand with us on the
issues that are important to AFT members and our
families. Here’s a sampling of what Romney,
Santorum, Paul and Gingrich have been saying on
critical issues, including the recent fight in Ohio:
Mitt Romney: “My friends in Ohio are fighting to
defend crucial reforms that the state has put in
place to limit the power of union bosses and keep
taxes low. I stand with John R. Kasich and Ohio’s
leaders as they take on this important fight to get
control of government spending.” (Facebook;
Politico.com, Oct. 25, 2011)
Rick Santorum: “I do not believe that state,
federal or local workers … should be involved in
unions. And I would actually support a bill that
says that we should not have public employee unions
for the purposes of wages and benefits to be
negotiated.” (Fox News/Google debate, Sept. 22,
2011)
Ron Paul: In an interview with Fox News’
Chris Wallace, Paul reiterated his belief that
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are all
unconstitutional, saying, “Technically they are
[unconstitutional]. … There’s no authority in the
Constitution. Article I, Section 8, doesn’t say I
can set up an insurance program for people. What
part of the Constitution are you getting it from?”
(Fox News interview, May 15, 2011)
Newt Gingrich: “You say to somebody, you
shouldn’t go to work before you’re, what, 14, 16
years of age—fine. You’re totally poor. You’re in a
school that is failing with a teacher that is
failing. I’ve tried for years to have a very simple
model. Most of these schools ought to get rid of the
unionized janitors, have one master janitor and pay
local students to take care of the school. The kids
would actually do work, they would have cash, they
would have pride in the schools, they’d begin the
process of rising.” (Remarks, Harvard Kennedy School
of Government, Nov. 19, 2011)
What are your thoughts on the Iowa Republican
caucus results, and which issues would you like the
Republican candidates to address as this nominating
process continues?
In unity,
John Ost
AFT Political Director
QUOTES:___________________________________________________________________
"Children have to be educated, but they have also
to be left to educate themselves." Ernest
Dimnet
"Education is a progressive discovery of
your own ignorance." Will Durant
"Education is a better
safeguard of liberty than a standing army."
Edward Everett
"To punish the oppressors of humanity is clemency; to
forgive
them is cruelty." Maximilien Robespierre
"It was the labor movement that
helped secure so much of what we take for granted today.
The 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, family leave,
health insurance, Social Security, Medicare, retirement
plans. The cornerstones of the middle-class security all
bear the union label."
Barack Obama
"If I went to
work in a factory the first thing I'd do is join a
union." Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
Current News and information Continued:
__________________________________________________________

Dear Jeff,
160 million working Americans may be ringing in the
New Year with a tax increase because of a decision
by the House leadership to play politics. After some
tough negotiations, the Senate reached a bipartisan
compromise that extends the payroll tax cut and
unemployment insurance benefits in the coming year.
Yesterday’s action by the U.S. House of
Representatives, primarily by a faction of
Republicans, to reject this sensible agreement
virtually ensures that these benefits will not be in
place by Jan. 1, 2012.
See how your representative voted, and send him
or her a letter about the importance of this issue.
Just about everyone—Democrats and Republicans—is
committed to making sure that by early next year a
way is found to extend both the payroll tax cut and
unemployment insurance (UI) through the end of 2012.
The Senate bill passed with 89 votes (39 coming from
Republicans), and right now, that bipartisan
compromise is the only viable way to prevent a tax
hike and extend UI assistance on Jan. 1.
Write your representative and tell him or her
that a tax hike on 160 million working Americans is
unacceptable.
One House Republican called this “high stakes
poker.” But as President Obama said: “This is not
poker. … It’s not a game to the average family that
doesn’t have an extra $1,000 to lose. It’s not a
game for the person who’s out there looking for work
right now but might lose his house if unemployment
insurance doesn’t come through. It’s not a game for
the millions of Americans who will take a hit when
the entire economy grows slower because these
proposals aren’t extended.”
It’s time for Speaker John Boehner and the
faction of House Republicans to stop playing
politics and get this done on behalf of the American
people.
Write them now.
In unity,
Tor Cowan
AFT Legislative Director

| |
|
Shame
|
|
While House
Republicans are enjoying
the holidays, our
neighbors are facing the
loss of unemployment
insurance benefits.
Please
call Speaker Boehner at
202-225-0600.
Tell the person who
picks up: “Speaker
Boehner should be
ashamed of himself. He
needs to get his House
in order, stop the
partisan games and
extend unemployment aid
immediately.”
|
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Dear Jeff,
I wish that today I could send you a cheerful
message with good news, wish you a wonderful
holiday season and reflect on the incredible
work we’ve done in the past year.
But we can’t rest and recharge: Six million
unemployed workers are counting on us to keep on
fighting for them, and we won’t let them down.
Please call Speaker Boehner at 202-225-0600.
Tell the person who picks up the phone: “Speaker
Boehner should be ashamed of himself. He needs
to get his House in order, stop the partisan
games and extend unemployment aid immediately.”
The two things House Republicans seem to be most
passionate about are protecting millionaires
from having to pay taxes and cutting
unemployment benefits for jobless
workers.
All 229 House
members who voted yesterday to cut off
unemployment benefits were Republicans. They
should be ashamed of themselves. Once again
they’ve blocked survival aid for men and women
who want to work but can’t find jobs in this
brutal economy. If House Republicans continue to
block action, nearly 2 million people will lose
unemployment benefits in January alone. How can
they sit back and enjoy the holidays?
Please pick up the phone and call Speaker
Boehner at 202-225-0600. Tell him to extend
unemployment aid immediately.
Thank you for being a voice for jobless workers,
and for all the work you do.
In Solidarity,
Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO
P.S. 89 Senators—Democrats and Republicans—voted
to extend unemployment this weekend. House
Republicans have a decision to make. They can
continue standing with the wealthiest one
percent by taking directions from the most
extreme of the Tea Partiers, or they can come to
their senses and start standing up for working
people and paying attention to the jobs crisis.
Please call
John Boehner and ask him: What’s wrong
with Tea Party Republicans in the House—and why
can’t they get anything done for working
families? His number is 202-225-0600.
|

|
Jeff—
I just got a message from our Government Affairs
director, Bill Samuel, telling me about a
temper tantrum on Capitol Hill.
It’s flat-out heartless for lawmakers to go home
and enjoy the holidays, while their political
posturing causes millions of families across
America to suffer anxiety and heartbreak. But
House Speaker
John Boehner is threatening to do just
that.
He says he’ll block unemployment aid and raise
taxes on working families—even though 89
senators from both sides of the aisle already
voted to extend the aid and keep the tax cut in
place.
Failing to extend emergency unemployment aid
and middle-class tax cuts is cruel and wrong.
Cruel because it takes away a lifeline for
families that need it. Wrong because it delivers
two massive blows to our fragile economy.
I need you to stop what you’re doing, pick up
the phone and dial 1-888-245-3381. Tell the
person who answers the phone: “Please pass the
Senate’s bill to extend unemployment aid and
middle-class tax cuts immediately.”
You can also call House Speaker John Boehner
at 202-225-0600. Tell him, “ You and your
Tea Party supporters can’t keep hurting the
American people just so you can get what you
want. Stop this temper tantrum and pass the
Senate’s bipartisan bill to extend unemployment
aid and middle-class tax cuts now.”
If you want to learn more about the deal, keep
reading. I’m forwarding a message from Bill. But
the most important thing is for you to pick up
the phone, right now.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Samuel
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 10:40 AM
To: Richard L. Trumka
Subject: Temper Tantrum on Capitol Hill
Rich,
As I mentioned this weekend, the Senate passed a
bipartisan deal with 89 votes to keep emergency
unemployment benefits going for two
months and extend middle-class tax cuts.
This was not just a bipartisan deal--it passed
with an overwhelming super-majority.
This two-month extension seemed like a done
deal. But this morning, we got word that
John Boehner and his Tea Party friends are
threatening to blow up the whole thing. The
Senate has already left town. This is really
bad.
The only thing that might be able to save
emergency unemployment and middle-class tax cuts
is a flood of phone calls from outraged
constituents. Can you ask our activists to make
emergency phone calls today?
The toll-free number we need people to call
today is 1-888-245-3381. People should
demand their representative pass the Senate's
bipartisan bill to extend unemployment aid and
tax cuts for working families.
They can also call House Speaker John Boehner
and tell him the same thing. His number is
202-225-0600.
A House vote is expected as early as 6:30 p.m.
eastern time tonight, but people should keep
calling in and spreading the word to friends and
family in case the vote gets delayed.
I wish I had better news--but with activists'
help we might be able to make this come out OK.
-- Bill
|

AFT Michigan Union Building Classes
Tuesday
Evenings in January, February and March 2012
"Do not wait; the time will never be 'just
right.' Start where you stand, and work with
whatever tools you may have at your command, and
better tools will be found as you go along." -
Napoleon Hill
Every winter AFT Michigan offers a series of
classes to help you develop the tools you need to be
an effective union leader/member. They are
open to everyone in the union, at no cost, and we
encourage any one who thinks of themselves as a
"leader," wants to be a leader, could be a leader,
or who just wants to better understand what a union
does, to attend as many of them as you can.
Some of the classes, like Strategic Planning, are
two part classes and the second class builds upon
what was learned in the first class. Others
you are welcome to attend a single class, or attend
all eight sessions!
Classes are held every Tuesday, starting January
17th, from 5:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. at the AFT Michigan
office in Detroit. You may register on line by
clicking on the link to the class. A light
dinner is provided. These classes do not
qualify for SB-CEUs.
January 17, 2012
Session 1: AFT 101:
Leadership Roles & Responsibilities, and Tools You
Can Use
How are the state and national federations
structured?
Who does what work in your local? (Diagram exercise)
What are your responsibilities to the membership
under PERA?
Local obligations to the state and national AFT,
AFL-CIO, etc.
Resources to make your job easier (Toolkit,
LeaderNet, Contract Database, AFT+, etc.)
Homework: Start Foundation Planning Form and draft
member survey on political action
January 24, 2012
Session 2: Labor Law
Basics
Overview of PERA and MERC
AFT Michigan Legal Fund process
Organizing around grievances
Homework: Finish Foundation Planning Form and
collect survey responses
January 31, 2012
Session 3: Leading
for Membership Engagement
How does information flow between leaders and
members?
What patterns did you see in where you got surveys
back from?
What are your local’s strengths and weaknesses?
(Analysis of diagrams, Foundation Planning form, and
any feedback on surveys)
Setting up a member-to-member system to ensure
effective communication
Mapping your local
1-on-1 conversations
Making the ask
Leadership and changing local culture: it doesn’t
happen in meetings
February 7, 2012
Session 4:
Politics in the Public Sector (part 1)
Why is there an attack on the public sector and
unions?
February 14, 2012
Session 5:
Politics in the Public Sector (part 2)
How do decisions get made and how can we shape them?
February 21, 2012
Session 6:
Politics in the Public Sector (part3)
How can we get people elected who support our
issues?
February 28, 2012
Session 7:
Strategic Planning (part 1)
Consider bringing a team from your local, you will
finish the two sessions with a plan for your local.
March 6, 2012
Session 8:
Strategic Planning (part 2)
Putting your plan in practice within your local

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Dear Jeff,
Congress is in town for a little more than a
week.
Time is
running out for more than 2 million Americans
who can’t find work and are relying on emergency
unemployment coverage. They’ll
lose their lifeline in January if Congress fails
to act. And without action in 2012, that number
will rise to at least 6 million.*
That’s why we're asking you to act today to
share stories of unemployed workers and help us
make the case for extending unemployment without
cuts or pre-conditions that hurt the 99%.
Go to the AFL-CIO Unemployment Stories website,
find stories from unemployed workers and share
them.
If you use Twitter, click
here.
Members of Congress keep getting confronted with
the stories of unemployed workers, and it's
making a difference. The question is no longer whether our
leaders will do anything for America's
jobless—it looks like they'll do something. But
we're not out of the woods yet. Obstructionists
continue to play partisan games with
unemployment benefits.
Watch video footage, find stories—and spread the
word here.
Use
Twitter? Click
here.
Last Thursday—from Wall Street to Main Street to
Capitol Hill—we took action for America’s
jobless workers. Our most massive mobilization
was in Washington, D.C., where more than 2,000
jobless workers and clergy gathered for a prayer
vigil on Capitol Hill.
We're keeping that pressure up, pushing out
stories to members of Congress and forcing them
to pay attention. Our pressure is working—some
in Congress who weren't even talking about
extending unemployment before now are claiming
they are willing to consider extending
unemployment coverage, but only with massive
cuts as a “compromise.”
But we need to push for a clean, full
extension of jobless aid, because it's the right
thing to do. As
Christine Owens of the National Employment Law
Project says, "Long-term unemployed workers are
not lazy slackers who choose an unemployment
check over a paycheck. They are millions of men
and women—family, friends and neighbors, many of
whom have worked for years—whose lives and
livelihoods have been chewed up and spit out by
the nation’s worst economy in 80 years. With
the number of officially unemployed job seekers
still outnumbering job openings by more than
four-to-one, it’s no wonder so many long-term
unemployed workers cannot find work: there
simply are not enough jobs."
Watch video footage, find stories—and spread the
word here. Use Twitter? Click
here.
America’s communities are relying on every penny
of benefits—and every penny in cuts shrinks the
economy and destroys jobs.
We need obstructionists in Congress to be
confronted with these stories and know it's
unacceptable to cut benefits for jobless
workers, cut pay for public employees, cut
preventive health services, reduce premium
assistance for low- and middle-income
individuals buying health insurance, and raise
premiums for many Medicare beneficiaries. It's
time to stop picking on the 99% and make the 1%
pay its fair share.
Click here to watch video footage, find
stories—and spread the word. And
if you use Twitter, click
here.
Thanks for all the work you do.
In Solidarity,
Manny Herrmann
Online Mobilization Coordinator, AFL-CIO
* Based on cut-off estimates
contained in the National
Employment Law Project'sbriefing
paper, "Hanging On By a Thread."
|

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Dear Jeff,
Chris from South Carolina used to work in an
unemployment office. Then he was laid off.
Here’s his warning:
You
should know that Congress has let the emergency
benefits lapse several times in the past few
years and always when a break is scheduled for
them. It happened last Easter and last
Christmas. They don’t care about the unemployed.
They take their holiday break and deal with it
when they return to Washington.
We can’t
assume Congress will renew unemployment in time
for the millions who are hanging by a thread
before extended benefits expire
Dec. 31. That’s why we’re pulling out
all the stops. More than 2,000 jobless workers,
activists and clergy are on Capitol Hill, right
now—demanding a clean and immediate extension of
emergency unemployment benefits. Thousands more
are in district offices across the country.
As we gather on Capitol Hill and at district
offices, activists across the country are
flooding Congress with messages.
Add your
voice: Help make sure the voices of America’s
jobless can’t be ignored by Congress.
Diane from Michigan worked in the newspaper
industry and is now unemployed. Here’s how she
describes her situation:
Every job
opening has hundreds, if not thousands, of
applicants. It is almost impossible to get a
job—especially if you also face age
discrimination. Retraining is too costly.
Meanwhile, we are hanging on by a thread. No
health insurance....My current unemployment
benefits are the only thing saving me from the
street. I have faced food insecurity for the
first time.
We must not
let people like Diane be forgotten.
Make
Congress hear the stories and see the faces of
jobless workers. Contact Congress now and demand
an immediate, clean extension of emergency
unemployment benefits.
Momentum is building—but we can’t take the
passage of emergency unemployment aid for
granted.
Obstructionists like House Speaker John
Boehner—who has nearly absolute control over
what comes up for a vote in the U.S. House of
Representatives—continue to block a clean,
immediate extension of emergency jobless aid.
There’s no excuse for that. Especially when our
economy is so bad and budget cuts in our
communities are so dire.
Chris, a now unemployed unemployment
office worker, asks a powerful question: “Don’t
they realize they work for us?”
Tell
Congress: “You work for us. Renew emergency
unemployment aid now.”
Will obstructionists like Speaker Boehner really
let benefits lapse yet again, take a vacation,
come back and play partisan games?
Will the obstructionists let families get thrown
out of their homes? Will they force kids to go
hungry to extract cuts and concessions that hurt
our most vulnerable people?
Send a clear
message now: “No help for the jobless? No
vacation for Congress!”
Thank you for all the work you do.
In Solidarity,
Richard L. Trumka
President, AFL-CIO
P.S. Our
unemployment stories website
has been covered by the media in publications
lawmakers read while in Washington, D.C.,
including The Washington Post and The Hill—plus
papers they read at home.
But we need
your help to make sure every lawmaker feels the
heat and sees these stories. Take action now.
|

|
Dear Jeff,
You need to
check out this website, right now.
It’s a powerful reminder of the real faces
behind
America’s sobering unemployment
statistics. It has real pictures and stories
from job-hunters and impacted people from all
walks of life—from your state and from every
state.
I hope you’ll
take a minute to look at these powerful stories,
share them and add your own.
If Congress fails to act by
Dec. 31, extended unemployment insurance
will expire for millions.
We never forget these are real people who
face the prospect of going hungry and getting
thrown out of their homes soon after the
holidays if Congress fails to act. Many of us
have been there before—or have friends and
family who have.
Even though obstructionists in Congress are
willing to ignore our joblessness crisis, we
refuse to let these stories get brushed under
the rug.
Click here to see and share the stories and
faces behind America’s joblessness crisis.
Then, share our website on
Facebook and
Twitter and forward this message
to all your friends.
These stories and pictures won’t just live on a
website. We’ll share them with the media,
hand-deliver them to Congress during our massive
day of action
on Dec. 8 and promote them widely on the
Internet.
If callous members of Congress think they can
sit back and allow unemployment aid to expire
while they play political games, they’re wrong.
With your help we’re going to force them to see
this crisis head-on—with real faces of real
people who are jobless and struggling in this
brutal economy.
See these stories, share them and add your voice.
In Solidarity,
Manny Herrmann
Online Mobilization Coordinator, AFL-CIO
P.S. It’s not just people who are unemployed
right now who have stories to tell. Millions of
others do, too.
Maybe you’ve been jobless in the past and relied
on unemployment benefits to get through. Or
you’ve seen firsthand how much unemployment
hurts your community and America—and how much
unemployment aid helps. Or maybe you can write a
brief statement of support for the jobless or
urge Congress to act—even in just one to two
sentences.
Together, we’re creating a visual display of
the impact of unemployment that will be too
powerful to ignore.
See and share stories and statements in your
state and across America. Then,
add your own.
|

Ugly Meeting to Lift Charter School Cap
Dear Jeff,
Some days watching the Legislature work can be
pretty ugly. The Majority party, the
Republicans, set the agenda with little or no
notice, stacks the committees, and uses the gavel to
get what they want. It is what happens when
one political party controls all parts of government
and has a super-majority in the legislative branch.
Yesterday, Thursday, December 1, the House Education
committee passed out a bill (SB
618) lifting the cap on the number of
university sponsored charter schools in Michigan.
The vote was 11 to 6 with Republican Rep. Tom Hooker
(R-Byron Center) joining the Democrats in
opposition. (He supports the expansion of
charters, but thought it should be done in a more
gradual manner.)
To get the desired result they first had to re-stack
the Committee.
On Tuesday the Republicans replaced Rep.
Holly Hughes (R-Montague) either because she had not
expressed public support for the bill, or because
she is going to be in a tough re-election race and
they wanted to protect her from having to take this
vote, depending on who is telling the tale, and
filled the seat left vacant by the recall of Rep.
Paul Scott. They appointed Representatives Jon
Bumstead (R-Newaygo) and Lisa Posthumus Lyons
(R-Alto). This was also only the second
meeting chaired by Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester
Hills).
Partisan tension was clear when Minority Vice Chair
Lisa Brown (D-Bloomfield Twp.) expressed her
confusion when McMillin decided not to take up
amendments in chronological order. Mr.
McMillin’s response, “Last time I checked, the
minority party didn’t get to set the agenda.”
The Democrats on the committee offered more than 15
amendments, almost all of which failed. Those
voted down included requiring charters to provide
transportation, a requirement that the schools show
“demonstrated performance” with existing charters
before they could open new ones, controlling charter
authorizers’ profits, putting reporting requirements
back in the bill for cyber schools, requiring the
schools to pay prevailing wages and limiting where
charters can locate.
During debate, when Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D-Southfield)
offered an amendment that would keep a new charter
school from opening if the operator had a school in
the bottom five percent of the worst performing
schools, he was cut off by Rep. McMillin, a former
charter school president, who said that public
schools have been failing for years.
In fact, Rep. McMillin, while saying he wanted to
keep discussion on each amendment to a minimum, had
comments on why each amendment offered by the
Democrats was a bad idea. This prompted Rep.
Douglas Geiss (D-Taylor) to suggest Rep. McMillin
give up the gavel if he wanted to comment on each
amendment.
Rep. Hobbs called the hearing a “charade” and said,
“This is not a serious deliberation in my view.”
Rep. McMillin responded that 15 amendments was “a
little unusual.” Rep Brown said the Dems had
more than 40 amendments on the 80-page bill and had
narrowed down the list
Reps. Hobbs and McMillin had another dust-up over an
amendment to have charter operator report
information on the Department of Education website.
Rep. McMillin summarized the amendment, Rep. Hobbs
took issue with his characterization, Mr. McMillin
then told Rep. Brown that if her members (Democrats)
were going to interrupt him, he was going to stop
calling on them.
There was debate over an amendment that would ban
charters from contracting with for-profit management
companies. Rep. Geiss complained about
companies getting in education just to make profits.
Mr. McMillin said those were “outrageous charges.”
In the end the bill,
SB 618, has been moved out of the Education
Committee and to the full House.
In addition to removing the cap on
university-sponsored charter schools, the bill also
removes language that requires charters authorized
by a school district that has a collective
bargaining agreement in place with similar employees
apply that contract to the employees of the charter,
and allows contract operators to operate multiple
sites.
The legislation coming out of
Lansing, the behavior, the attitude of the
Majority in control will not change until we change
the balance of power. We must stay focused
on November 2012, when we have the
opportunity to take back the
Michigan House and restore some balance in
the legislative process.
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